“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” Albert Einstein

For my first post of 2014, in English no less, I decided to begin introducing you to my world of “recently found” inner peace; meaning my journey through the Buddhist philosophy. Now don´t you abandon me here, I am not trying to spread the word of the Lord (nor am I trying to insult your religion or belief)! This is me, my belief and my life´s philosophy, I expect no one to follow me, and I just want to put it out there that there are other paths to happiness and serenity. Since I find that most people with less than a high school education are very narrow-minded, at least here in Portugal, I decided to discuss my system of beliefs in English - mostly to avoid being labeled “the infidel” of my hometown (Yeah that happens). (Note that I said most, I know a few wise adults that don´t need to speak English to accept me, since education is also practiced at home). For you my “better” educated friends: read and interpret as you like.

Like I have said in my last post, in Portuguese, I am thankful for 2013 because even though I lived in hell for most of it - and believed me, I wish no one the task that was bestowed upon me - I came through alive. Oh my friends but it was more than live that was pounding inside me, it was something I haven´t felt since I was a little child: it was happiness. Not the happiness you feel when you have a particular exceptional honor/present/day, or when you fall in love, no no no it was that amazing no-reason-why-but-truly-pure happiness. Have you ever felt that? Think hard is not as easy of an answer as you might think.

So, how did I achieve that holy state? you say. Well, I have a story bigger than life for you, and I will tell it (because I will write a book about it, and it will change life´s, or so I hope). But for my first step into the spotlight I will discuss a particular live lesson I learnt and have been reflecting upon a lot, the past couple of weeks. The concept of insanity that entitles my text today is a “nice way” to put it, has we do use the term “insanity” very loosely and it actually isn´t. If I were a psychologist I would probably say it is a very serious disease and it should not be used as slang, but since I am a “thinker” (you know I have an ego, let it go I have come to the conclusion that a grand percentage of “insane people” are actually the most sane and happy ones. Now think about it: they live in their one world, they are actually are happy and content there but we are so afraid of the “crazy” that we must pump them with pills and tell them they are the ones in the wrong. Who´s to say what´s what? Have you seen “A Beautiful Mind”? I know the dude eventually contributed immensely to some physics theories but he went through hell and back! All that pressure from a world that wanted to make him feel absolutely bunkers, at which they succeed grandly, reducing a genius to a human mop in no time. It took him years of self control to finally be accepted as normal! That is completely absurd to me, who wouldn´t like to be evolved in a great conspiracy? and who´s to say he wasn´t and the govern was actually trying to cover their prints? I am just saying, open up your mind a bit!

But what does that has to do with me? Well, because I too was led to believe for years that I was a bit insane, not for professionals but for people close to me and whose opinion was oh so important in my mind. It is easy to fall into other people´s opinion of us, and interiorize it as being the absolute truth, and I admit I was too weak to rebel against the tide so I was washed out by the waves.

(End of Part 1)